The summer of 2023 was one to remember, featuring several blockbuster movies that packed theaters. The two that stood out to many were Oppenheimer and Barbie, and both movies were released on the same day, July 21, 2023. This sparked a lot of debate between movie fans over which movie was better, and some people opted to watch both films on the same day. Although they featured very different stories, both movies centered around a main character going through a lot on their life-changing journey. 

Oppenheimer told the story of J. Robert Oppenheimer, who was responsible for the research and design of the first atomic bomb. The directors tried to make the movie as realistic as possible, using real explosives to blow up a town when recreating the nuclear test. This shocking movie was incredibly suspenseful with audiences anxiously awaiting the nuclear explosion.

“It made you feel like you were actually there,” remarked junior Mercedes Perez. 

The film also offers a chilling reminder of the incredible destruction that nuclear weapons can cause. Some people criticized the film claiming it was boring because it was very long and overly political.

The Barbie movie features an incredible cast with stars such as Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Kate McKinnon, and Will Ferrell. This cinematic masterpiece reached 525 million dollars on its release day alone. 

This film follows Barbie (Margot Robbie) and Ken (Ryan Gosling) as they embark on a journey of self-discovery in the hope of solving an existential crisis. Barbie and Ken travel to the real world to fix the portal between Barbieland and the real world. As people flooded into movie theaters, Barbie fans were fittingly dressed in pink.

Many people enjoyed the Barbie movie and the nostalgic message behind it.

“I was really moved, and thought it was really good. I did not expect them to take that angle, but they did. My favorite part was definitely the last scene in the movie,” junior Emily Schandlbauer said.

Don’t forget to watch these summer blockbusters!